Top 5 Easy Weed Strains to Grow for Beginners: The Internet Weighs In

Getting cannabis to grow at home isn't rocket science. After all, it’s called ‘weed’ because it grows like one. Even a complete newbie can still raise a good crop at the end of the season if they learn the basics.

However, if we go from the basics to the intricacies, not all marijuana is created equal. There are lots of factors at play, such as nutrient concentrations, light, temperature, pH, and humidity. All of these can take a toll on the quality and quantity of your harvest.

When growing cannabis, the best way to learn is through practice. It might take a few rounds to get the hang of it, but there are many easy-to-grow strains available to the home grower that will make the process as stress-free as possible.

The easiest weed strains to grow respond well to any kind of growing conditions and how these conditions change. Such strains require less care and will have more vigor and resistance to stresses such as insects, drought, sunburn, mold, or nutrient deficiencies. All this makes them more suitable for those who are just getting started.

What are the easiest cannabis strains to grow?

We at Herbies absolutely love growing marijuana that won't make you sweat too much. Our team has already picked the best weed strains for beginners before, but now it’s time to get a second opinion. For that, we’ve ventured into Reddit’s r/microgrowery community to find out what strains growers think of.

Many growers suggest sticking with the popular genetics that have been around for decades. If a strain has been on the market for a while, chances are high that the genetics are on point, meaning the strain will perform predictably most of the time.

Sifting through tons of posts helped us round up the five most popular strains that are a breeze to cultivate.

Northern Lights

When recommending the best strains for beginner growers, the most popular choice among veteran gardeners is Northern Lights. This legendary hybrid is a heaven-made match between Afghani and Thai landrace strains that has become synonymous with high-quality, high-potency buds. Breeders have used it countless times to give rise to many other now-famous strains.

Given its roots, Northern Lights has all the typical effects of a strong Indica, including a euphoric body high, a nice sense of well-being and happiness, and an all-around long-lasting buzz.

Due to their Indica dominance, these seeds can go basically anywhere, producing heavy yields of resin-packed buds within a very short flowering period of fewer than 9 weeks. Northern Lights is a pest-resistant and sturdy plant that’s not prone to mold or rot, allowing for a hassle-free grow.

This herb responds well to the Sea of Greed (SOG) technique, and you can use soil or a hydroponic growing medium. As with any Indica plant, Northern Lights can become rather bushy, so you might want to trim the plant regularly to let light through to its lower parts. You can also benefit from multiple cycles each year in indoor grows.

“Northern Lights is a fantastic beginner’s grow. Rewarding yield with resistant genetics. A first for many of us, and arguably a favorite for many more who are just starting out.” - 710Scoob on Reddit

White Widow

Moving from Indica genes to a balanced hybrid, many connoisseurs name White Widow among the easiest cannabis strains to grow. WW was first bred in the Netherlands as a cross between a Brazilian Sativa landrace and a South Indian Indica.

This pungent lady wears a ‘veil’ of white trichomes, which earned the strain her name, and she produces a powerful, well-balanced high that affects both the mind and body. This strain is cherished by medical users too, as her effects can relieve stress and help battle the symptoms of depression, chronic pain, and insomnia.

White Widow seeds are very consistent and easy to grow in any environment. The strain requires lots of light but can still be grown in colder climates with shorter summers such as the UK, France, and the Netherlands. The plants are resistant to mold, pests, and colder temperatures, making WW a great beginner weed strain. This strain does well in either a soil or hydroponic setup and is best grown using the Screen of Green (SCROG) method.

Blue Dream

Another balanced Indica/Sativa entry in our list of the easiest cannabis strains to grow hails from Northern California. This weed is a cross between Blueberry and Haze, and it’s known for its sweet berry aroma and taste. You’ll be in for a hybrid high that produces both cerebral stimulation and full-body relaxation.

Many growers believe that Blue Dream is one of the strains that’s most resistant to mold, mildew, and fungi. If these are big concerns, Blue Dream can be a great pick for outdoor grows.

This beginner weed strain strives in subtropical or Mediterranean-like climates. If that’s not where you’re planning to grow it, taking your crops indoors would probably be the best option. Indoors, the plants will need a big grow room to provide enough space for the large and chunky branches it’s known for.

Girl Scout Cookies

Named after the ever-famous treats, this dessert-like strain holds true to its name, as its aroma resembles the sweet and minty pastry sold by Girl Scouts. GSC is a Sativa-leaning hybrid that originated in California and has become one of the most popular strains in the U.S. Its lineage hails from two legendary strains, Durban Poison and OG Kush.

GSC’s effects bring plenty of diversity to the table; it produces an uplifting and happy high that evolves into a deep relaxation that doesn’t leave you couch-locked. It also can help manage a range of issues, from stress and depression to appetite loss and chronic pain.

Despite its Sativa genes, GSC is one of the easiest weed strains to grow. The plants are sturdy, short, and leafy. In outdoor gardens, they need a lot of warmth and sunshine to thrive. This means this weed does best in a Mediterranean-type climate.

LSD

Naming a cannabis strain after the psychedelic drug was a bold move, but its vivid cerebral effects and up to a staggering 25% THC do it justice. LSD is a mostly Indica hybrid created by crossbreeding Original Skunk #1 and an Afghani Indica. It’s got everything you would normally expect from such parents: vigorous growth, compact size, and a short flowering period.

LSD is a hardy and disease-resistant plant that responds well to almost any growing conditions, but it most prefers daytime temps in the 65-80 °F range. Due to its immunity to most pests and molds, it can thrive both indoors and outdoors.

To get the most out of this beginner strain, top the plant to create more branches and use the ScrOG technique. It’s also worth pruning the lower branches to help the buds on the upper part of the plant thrive.

Why are some strains easier to grow than others?

When discussing the easiest strains to grow, It all comes down to genetics. The classic school of thought says that landraces (the pure cannabis strains that have grown wild and indigenously and never been crossbred with any other variety) are more resilient than hybrids. These plants have stood the test of time over the years thanks to their large gene pool.

Landrace strains are known for their rusticity, meaning they’re highly resistant to weather fluctuations in the areas where they’re found. It’s almost always easier to grow an Indica landrace than a Sativa.

Conversely, crossbred strains, like Indica and Sativa hybrids, are said to be typically more susceptible to mold, pests, and diseases, which makes them a bit more challenging to grow. However, according to popular belief, strongly Indica-dominant hybrids are much easier to grow than Sativa-leaning ones.

This is due to a number of factors. First, Indica plants tend to grow shorter and bushier than Sativas, which makes them a better option for indoor grows. Second, they naturally have larger yields, so even novices can get them to produce decent harvests. Third, they are generally more cold-resistant and take less time to flower, which makes them better equipped for outdoor grows in climates with a short growing season – you have a higher chance of harvesting your crops before they get ruined by cold and rainy weather.

Meanwhile, Sativas usually aren’t the easiest cannabis strains to grow. They require a lot of light and higher temps to thrive since they originally come from near the equator. They also need more growing space and have much airier buds.

Get Yourself a No-Brainer Strain

Now that you’ve learned about the easy-to-grow strains from the cannabis community perspective, why not read up more about them? If you’re looking for weed you can’t go wrong with, make sure to check out the Easiest Strains to Grow and the Best Strains for Beginner Growers on our site.

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